The Small Town: Senior Year

With the volume at max.

Keith woke up with his arm draped over Pidge. She was laying on her stomach, head up and looking at the phone she held in front of her. Keith noticed that Lance, who had been sleeping on the other side of her, also had his arm across her back. He was laying on his side, facing her. Hunk had rolled off of the mattresses and was curled up with a blanket on the floor.

"Oh, nice you're awake." Pidge rolled over and Lance stirred, Keith retracting his arm from her body. Pidge pushed Lance off so that he landed on Hunk, and the two roused grumpily.

"Pidge," Lance whined. "What the fuck?"

"You weren't awake. Now you are. Quick and easy." She shrugged. "Come on, my mom texted and said she wanted us to come in for breakfast when you all woke up."

"Wait, what time is it?" Lance was suddenly very alert. He checked his phone and panic was evident across his face. "Oh no, oh no, shit."

"It's 11:36. Why?" Hunk asked.

"My family is taking a trip to Cuba for two weeks to visit my grandparents. I meant to tell you before." He was scrambling around trying to find something. "My sister and brothers have been texting me non-stop. They said they're on the way. Fuck! Where is my shoe?"

Pidge handed him a grey sneaker, looking upset.

"Why didn't you tell us before now? We'll have to suffer through the first week of school without you!" She and Hunk were whining.

"I forgot. I'm really sorry. I love you guys, but I have to go." He all but fell out of the tree house, and started running.

"Damn. We didn't have time to mourn the loss of a dear friend. It happened so suddenly. He was here one minute, gone the next. Perhaps, we'll see him in the next life." Pidge threw her hand to her forehead and fell backwards onto the mattress.

"You're so dramatic," Keith complained. He stood up and started folding blankets.

"Leave them," said Hunk. "The place is rainproof. It's all safe."

Keith nodded and tossed the blanket to the side.

"Breakfast?" Pidge asked.

"Yes!" Hunk agreed excitedly. Keith could tell he was trying to hide his disappointment at Lance leaving so suddenly, barely giving a goodbye. The three climbed down the ladder and began the lengthy walk back to Pidge's house.

When they made it back, Colleen held out a plate of homemade waffles for each of them. They thanked her, and explained why Lance was no longer with the group. She nodded, agreeing that it was unfortunate that he missed out on waffles. But the other three were happy to split his stack between them.

The week before school started was boring. They didn't do anything together. Nyma and Rolo threw the annual back to school party, but Pidge, Keith and Hunk didn't go. The final Sunday before school began, Lance sent a video to the group chat, but he was specifically speaking to Pidge.

"Pidge! I got the email! You can't let anyone else audition for JD. I'll literally die!" He was standing in a hotel room. Lance had a face mask on, and his brother was yelling at him to go to bed and get off the phone. Lance flipped him off and bid them goodbye.

Keith shook his head. He had gotten the email as well. The school musical was going to be Heather's. He was kinda disappointed, because the high school version was never very good.

Whatever. He thought.

"I'm so glad Lance won't be here to make me dress up," Pidge said through her window. She was in her favourite green sweater. The one she had worn the night she added Keith to this specific group chat. At that moment, both Keith and Pidge's phones rang and a notification saying Lance had texted came through.